Recipe swap: braised

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Braised steak, braised chops, braised red cabbage... hmmm... there must be something else you can braise, surely? We'd love to see your ideas for novel and tasty BRAISED recipes. Share yours – and tell us a bit about it – by noon on Wednesday 26 March and we'll print the best in the Cook section of the paper on Saturday 5 April.

Braising is a perfect method to keep tuna succulent instead of (accidentally) cooking it bone dry and infuse it with the bright & fresh flavours of this delicous mediterranean braising liquor. Either use a lidded pan or braise the fish uncovered in the oven - both methods are hardly what you call hands on. Serve with a crusty Italian country loaf to mop up all the liquor & juices of this light dish and bask in the (imagined) sunshine.

We love this melt-in-your-mouth lamb shank. Lamb shank is seared and then marinated overnight (if you don't have time, a couple of hours will also do the job!) before being simmered in the oven! Drizzle the sauce over the meat, potato mash and steamed vegetables to serve.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2Tbsp olive oil

4 lamb shanks

2 onions, sliced

2 carrots, each cut into 6-8 chunks

3-4 sprigs thyme

3-4 sprigs rosemary

350 ml beef or vegetable stock

350 ml red wine

Directions

1. In a casserole dish, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil. Once the oil is hot, place the lamb shanks into the casserole dish, and brown all sides of the lamb shanks. This will take approximately 10 minutes.

2. Add onion, carrots, garlic, rosemary and thyme into the casserole dish and brown them for 5 minutes. Season with black pepper.

3. Add stock and wine to the dish, making sure the liquid is sufficient to cover the meat, and bring it to simmer, and let it simmer for approximately 10 minutes.

4. Remove the casserole dish from heat, and let it cool. Once cooled, cover it with the lid and place it in the fridge overnight to marinade. (If you are cooking for a meal same day then you could skip this step)

5. Remove the casserole dish from the fridge and let it sit in room temperature for 30 minutes. In the mean time, preheat the oven to 160 Celsius. Place the casserole dish in the oven, with the lid on and bake it for 2 to 2.5 hours.

6. Take the casserole out of the oven, and place lamb shanks on warm serving plates, and leave them in a warm oven. In the meantime, thicken the liquid in the casserole dish with corn starch/water mixture.

7. Serve the lamb shank with the casserole sauce, with mash potatoes and steamed vegetables.

Indian dishes do involve a lot of spices, but the cooking of them from scratch (as opposed to using jarred sauces!) need not be feared as it is really quick and easy. This homemade version will also taste much fresher and healthier than the takeaway from around the block! Paneer is fragranted and seared with a mixture of Indian spices alongside onion before being simmered in a thick tomato gravy in this all too familiar but homemade version of paneer tikka masala. The key to a good curry is to fragrant and almost burn the spices before adding other ingredients. This recipe also work well with chicken or prawns if preferred.

Recipe serves 4 - 6 alongside other dishes in a typical Indian meal.

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp ground paprika

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

1/2 tsp salt

1 large onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cm ginger chunk, grated or finely chopped

1 Tbsp dark soy sauce

225g paneer, cut into cubes

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Tbsp butter

1 tsp garam masala

1 shallot, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1cm ginger chunk, grated or finely chopped

Salt, to taste

200 - 250g chopped tomatoes

3 Tbsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp cashew butter or almond butter

2 - 3 Tbsp single cream

1 Tbsp plain yogurt, plus more, to serve

A handful of fresh coriander, chopped (optional)

Direction

1. Prepare the paneer. Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan at high heat. When hot, add ground coriander, mustard seeds, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt. When the fragrance fills the room and mustard seeds start to pop (about 30 seconds to 1 minute), add onion, garlic and ginger. Reduce to a medium heat. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes until onion is just softened. Add 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce, immediately followed by paneer chunks. Try to coat the paneer chunks with the spices and sauce as much as you can. Cook until the paneer chunks have taken on the colours of spices and lightly golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to remove excess oil. Set aside.

2. In the same frying pan at high heat, add 1 Tbsp oil. When hot, add garam masala, minced shallot, minced garlic and grated ginger. Season with salt, to taste. Reduce to medium heat and add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. When it bubbles, add cashew butter. Stir to mix well. Cook for 5 - 10 minutes until it is reduced, adding a bit of water as required. Add the cooked paneer / onion in step 1, followed by single cream. Stir to mix well and simmer for 5 - 10 minutes, until it reduces to desired consistency.

3. Transfer the paneer tikka masala into a serving dish. Drizzle with a tablespoon of yogurt, followed by a handful of fresh coriander leaves, to serve (optional). Serve alongside hot steamed rice and the remaining yogurt (optional).

No quick fix this- I make it over 3 days! Day 1- marinade, day 2 braise, day 3 skim and finish with dumplings.

You can't beat it though for richness of flavour and value for money.

Ingredients:

2-3 pieces of oxtail per person

2 glasses red wine

fresh rosemary or thyme

2 bay leaves

1 large chopped onion

4 whole cloves garlic

2 sticks celery

2 large carrots

1 sliced turnip or parsnip

1 ripe tomato or 1 tbsp puree

mushroom stalks

First, I trim off any excess fat from the outside of the oxtail and put the pieces in the red wine to marinade overnight.

The next day, I sear the tail pieces in a hot pan and put in the slow cooker, along with the boiled marinade, chopped onion, whole cloves of garlic, sticks of celery, carrots, sliced turnip or parsnip, bay leaves, tomato or some puree and some mushroom stalks. Anything you have going spare in the vegetable drawer will add to the richness of the stock.

Leave to gently braise on low heat for the rest of the day (8 hours or so).Leave overnight to cool, take out the bay leaves and strain off the liquid into a separating jug or bowl. Skim off all the fat.

Take the meat from the oxtail bone and put in a casserole dish, put any large pieces of celery, carrot or parsnip into the dish too. Press the remaining veggie slush through a ricer and add to the dish. Make the concentrated stock up to 500ml with hot water and a beef stock cube. Pour over the meat and veg and place in a medium oven for 30 minutes or so until bubbling.

To make the dumplings, mix 1 tablespoon of margarine or vegetable fat into 1 cup of seasoned flour with 1 tsp of baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt added. Add a tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs and mix the dry ingredients to a soft dough by slowly adding some milk.

Form into walnut sized balls, and place in the bubbling casserole.

Cook for a further 20 minutes until the dumplings are risen.

More offal recipes on my blog at http://lizsleftovers.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/oxtail

I traveled to Sicily in spring 2011. The artichokes were full in season when I arrived, that whenever I looked there was a field of them growing in abundance or sold at every vegetable store and by the roadside. A large globe artichoke cost around 20 cent and I overdosed myself during my week long stay. I created this dish in memory of the wonderful culinary experiences I had in Sicily.

In this dish, the artichokes, fennel and sweet red onion (Cipolla Rosa) are braised in a healthy dose of garlic, anchovy, lemon, coriander seeds, and wine.

Due to word limit, the full recipe has been sent to recipes@theguardian.com

This recipe is made every week in our home although sometimes we use Dukkah or Ras El Hanout, and is a standard favourite. The paprika-seasoned stock gives a lovely taste to the tofu and the mixture can be cooked until crispy on the top- perfect on brown rice with salads or just for a healthy snack. Try it

Serves 4 with salad or greens and brown rice as an easy tasty meal

Use preferably a 2 litre cast iron or a metal casserole that can cook on top as well as in the oven and allow for braising

2x 396 gm packets (I use Cauldron) of Tofu drained and cut into cubes

3 teaspoons ground paprika

3 teaspoons marigold stock powder

Pinch cayenne if wanted

1 tablespoon olive oil

300 ml hot water

Mix the marigold powder with the paprika, the cayenne and the hot water. Pour the oil into an over-proof metal casserole and add the tofu chunks and cook over a medium heat. (At this stage you can add crushed garlic, and chopped mushrooms.) Stir well until the tofu just begins to colour approximately 10 minutes. Pour over the paprika/ stock and braise covered with a lid, for approximately 30- 40 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the tofu is tenderly flavourful. If you wish to have a crispy top remove top ten minutes before serving. Can be eaten hot or cold. Delicious.

This deliciously flavoured dish from Tibet celebrates Swiss chard and Tofu. In order to heighten the flavour we have substituted fresh tofu for smoked tofu and now the flavours zing. Enjoy as a light lunch or supper for 2-3 people. Perfect!

200g Swiss chard

1 bunch fat green salad onions medium chopped

1 teaspoon ground paprika

1- 2 fat cloves garlic finely grated

½ thumb size ginger finely grated

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 200g packet smoked Tofu drained and cut into 2 cm squares

100g fresh or frozen green peas

2 separate tablespoons light oil

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Maybe salt to taste depending on saltiness of soy sauce

Wash the Swiss chard, tear off leaves and chop lovely red stalks. In one pan pour the one tablespoon oil and add the Swiss chard still slightly wet, turning constantly. Add the pepper and salt. Cover the pan and leave to steam for 2 minutes.

In another pan, heat the other tablespoon oil. Add the onions, tofu, ginger and garlic with the paprika. Turn frequently until onions and tofu take on a little colour. Add soy sauce and peas and cover the pan to braise for 2-3 minutes. Season.

Serve by placing Swiss chard on a serving platter topping with luscious tofu mix and enjoy.

It’s a long title but truly demonstrates the complexity of flavours that marry so well and is the perfect antidote to a cloudy day. Enjoy with warm crusty granary bread and good conversation.

Serves 4 as a side dish or two as a light lunch

2 medium beetroot scrubbed, peeled and sliced into ½ cm rounds

1 large red onion peeled and cut into rings or sliced

230g red chicory trimmed and cut into rings

2 teaspoons olive oil

150 – 200 ml of vegetable stock

50 ml red wine of choice

few fresh thyme leaves pulled off the stalks

½ bunch good watercress cut across to make easier servings

100g feta cheese

50g walnuts

Place the walnuts on a baking sheet and lightly toast by placing in a low oven for 10 minutes. Remove walnuts and leave to cool. Prepare all the vegetables and place in a pan, add the oil and thyme and cook over a medium heat until the onions are slightly coloured and deliciously fragrant. Add the red wine and enough stock to cover. Simmer gently turning from time to time allowing the vegetables to absorb the wonderful flavours. When tender approximately 20 minutes, strain the vegetables from the liquid. Allow to cool slightly then arrange on the watercress. Crumble the feta over the warm vegetables and sprinkle on the walnuts. Enjoy.

I am a big fan of lentils - simple to cook, taste good, don't need soaking and are cheaper than chips. Puy lentils are considered by many to be the finest but my favourite is mostly the humble green or brown Egyptian lentil.

This recipe makes a fine supper for 2 with some leftovers for lunch next day. You can add chopped bacon or pancetta to the vegetables at the start or top it with a poached egg at the end, which is particularly fine on a Sunday night for some reason!

2 tablespoons olive oil

200g lentils, washed

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 celery stick, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped

the fennel stalks that stick up like fingers from the top of the bulb, finely chopped

bouquet garni of bayleaf, rosemary and thyme

Warm the olive oil in a heavy based pan, add the garlic and chopped vegetables and cook, stirring gently, for a few minutes till they soften a little. Add the lentils, stir to coat them in the oil then add the bouquet garni. Add enough cold water to completely cover. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a low simmer, cover and cook for about 30-40 minutes, checking occasionally that the liquid hasn't evaporated. Season generously with salt and pepper then serve.

This is a funny time of year - some lovely days but cold nights, some cold days and nights that follow! This is a dish that really delivers - it's lighter than a winter stew but robust enough to kill the chill. The trick is to keep the flavour elements separate in the way that a good ratatouille is constructed, so the aubergine cooks for a long time, the courgettes are added at the end to retain their shape and separately roasting the peppers till they are sweet and a little charred is the final touch.

125g chickpeas, soaked overnight

1 aubergine, cubed and salted and left in a colander for 30 minutes

2 red peppers, cut into 1cm cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

3 tablespoons oil

500g diced lamb

1 tin tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato puree

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

1teaspoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 courgettes, cut into rounds the thickness of a pound coin

Drain, rinse and boil the chickpeas for 30 minutes.

Put the chopped peppers onto a baking sheet with the oil and roast in the oven at gas 4 for 40 minutes till soft and sweet and a little bit charred.

In a large pan, fry the onions with the 3 tablespoons oil till soft and golden – 20 minutes. Add the chopped garlic, paprika and cumin and stir through for a minute.

Rinse the aubergines and gently squeeze out the moisture then fry with the onions for a few minutes.

Add the lamb and fry till sealed.

Drain the chickpeas and add them to the big pot with the tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon and bay leaves with enough water to cover. Season with plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper and simmer gently, covered, for an hour.

Add the courgettes and simmer, lid off, for another 20 minutes or so till the courgettes are just cooked through. Stir the roasted peppers through for the last 5 minutes.

The most difficult part of this dish is the shopping but it is worth the effort as the result is always tender, succulent pork in a rich sweet onion sauce. Served with some creamy mashed potatoes and Spring cabbage it is always a winner at this time of year.

Serves 4

1 piece of boneless pork shoulder about 1.5 kilos in weight

1/2 a kilo of new onions, peeled and roughly chopped

1 garlic clove peeled and sliced

250 ml stock or white wine, as you wish

1 bay leaf

A sprig of Rosemary

2 or 3 sage leaves

25 g butter

Salt, pepper

Stud the meat with the slices of garlic

In a large pot melt the butter. Add the meat and fry gently on all sides until browned and golden. Add the onions and continue to cook gently for a further twenty minutes. Add the herbs and the stock or wine and simmer for at least an hour and a half, turning the meat halfway through the cooking time.

I created this recipe about 15 years ago while living in Boston, inspired by a dish I'd eaten at a local brewhouse, which also included sausages. This vegetarian version has a lovely butteriness that sets off the sweetness of the kale brilliantly. The shape of the orichiette traps the sauce on your fork.

Warm a large covered saute pan on medium-high heat for a few minutes. Boil the kettle for the pasta.

When the pan is warm, add the 1 T butter and olive oil. When the butter foams, add the onions, along with the dried herbs, and some salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and just going a little bit brownish on the edges - don't let them burn (about 10 minutes). Add the garlic and keep cooking for a further 2 minutes.

Add the large glass of white wine, and scrape all the bits off the bottom of the pan. Put the boiling water into a separate pan for the pasta. Once the wine has lost its 'raw' smell, add the kale and stir everything to mix well. Cover the pan and turn the heat down to its lowest setting. Put the orichiette on to boil.

The kale should be cooked when the pasta is done - about 12-13 minutes, but check the package instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water, and keep it warm on the stove.

Turn up the heat on the kale mixture to medium-high, and add the reserved 1-2 T pasta cooking water, plus a little extra splash of wine. Boil for a minute, then add the butter, off the heat, stirring constantly and returning the pan to the heat briefly if necessary, to make a smooth, emulsified sauce. Add the cheese and stir well to incorporate it fully into the emulsion. Add the hot pasta to the kale mixture and stir well.

Check the seasoning, stir in the parsley if you like, and serve immediately in shallow pasta bowls, with a sprinkling of extra Parmesan on top if desired.

I prepared this for the first time for our boys. It started off as a variation on a Spanish chicken casserole, but for younger tastes, I removed the spicier elements. Now I serve it up on the promise of good behaviour. It's a fantastically chicken dish with a really understated sweetness from the onions and carrots - the garlic cloves add a little something, noticeably missing when not included. Chestnut mushrooms soak up loads of flavour and are a treat!

For flavour I pick bone-in chicken legs and or thighs - at least whole leg per person - Free range does make a huge difference. If you've taken the chicken carcass to bits yourself, use that to help flavour the stock. if you have home made stock, use that. Failing that, I've found that knorr stock pots are really good.

Plenty of fresh thyme

An onion of two, finely sliced

Garlic - choose your quantity.

Streaky bacon - preferably smoked - say a half dozen slices. More if you like it

Carrot or two, finely diced

Chestnut mushrooms - cleaned. use small to medium sized 'shrooms - they help bulk out the dish, tastily!

Drop the bacon, diced, into a casserole pot and fry until starting crisp, then throw in the onion & carrot and slap on the lid - stir every once in a while to make sure nothing sticks - you're looking for the carrots and onions to release their sweetness as they soften - when the onions are looking translucent, they'll be perfect. When this is done, throw in a generous glass of white wine. Allow it to bubble a bit to lose some of that harsh alcohol smell. Pop in some whole garlic cloves, paper on. As they cook they become really sweet. I pick them out as I serve and squeeze the delicious soft meat as chef's treat!

if you have the chicken carcass break it up a bit and throw this in the pot and put the lid on. Put on a kettle to boil. Throw in a GENEROUS handful of thyme leaves. Stir

Salt the legs well and put into a frying pan to colour the skin all over, before putting into the pot. Don't over-crowd the pan and make sure the skin is well browned and crispy, but not burnt.

When all the legs are done, pour in a little boiled water to make up the stock, give a generous grind of pepper, put the lid on and turn down the heat.

Let it simmer away for a good hour and half. If you can keep your hands off it, let it sit for the follow day's supper, to let all those fabulous chicken flavours to develop. If you have some chestnut mushrooms, throw a few in now and stir them in. They soak up so much flavour. The meat will simply tumble off the bones and you'll need a spoon to make sure you get as much of the gravy as you can!

Serve up with mash, or wedges or just plain crusty bread. If the children are partaking, make sure they have a bowl for Henry Jones' bone.... (Thank you sound track to ratatouille)

Finally, kick back and enjoy the slurping noises as everyone clears their plates!

Although this is more of a winter dish, I could happily eat it year round. It's my fail safe comfort dish. The nutty hint of sweetness from the sherry, and the heat from the chilli, compliment this rich meat perfectly.

Serves 4

Approx 800g Oxtail, (4 large pieces), fat trimmed off

1 stick of celery, finely chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

1 sprig of thyme, leaves removed, (about a dessertspoon full)

250 ml Amontillado sherry

250ml water

1 Scotch Bonnet chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped

Salt and black pepper

Small splash of oil for frying

In a heavy pan or wok, heat the oil until very hot and then brown the meat on all sides. When nicely browned, remove the meat from the pan, turn down the heat, and throw in the celery, carrot and onion. Sweat the vegetables for ten minutes. Add the thyme and chilli to the pan and season well with lots of black pepper. Return the meat to the pan and pour in the sherry and water. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 3 hours, until tender. Add more water if the mix becomes too gloopy. Remove the lid and season with salt, simmer for a few more minutes to cook in the salt. Boil rapidly to reduce to a thick gravy, there shouldn't be any need to thicken. Serve with your favourite crusty bread and, if you fancy something green, some wilted Kale.

Our local butcher often sells a whole brisket of beef for about £20-25. This comes as a roll, about a metre or so long which can be cut into six to eight pieces of around a kilogramme each and frozen for use later. Use one piece in the recipe below, a hearty amount for four people, but it can go further depending on the side dishes you make with it. Quantities can, for this sort of dish, be varied as you like and are only given as a general guide

1kg beef brisket

500g carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

2 large onions, chopped into small pieces

250g shallots, peeled

6 red chillies

12 prunes

6 cloves garlic

1 tin chopped tomatoes or pack tomato passata

half a bottle of strong red wine

large pinch rosemary

large pinch thyme

a little olive oil

Large pan and a large oven-proof casserole dish. These can be the same item if the casserole dish can be used on the hob or vice-versa.

Preheat the oven to about 180

In a large pan, heat some oil and brown the beef on all sides for a couple minutes. This is easy to do if the beef is kept in one piece with the string round it.

Then add the chopped onions and soften for a minute followed by the shallots, carrots, garlic, chillies and a splash of red wine. Stir for a short while then gradually add more wine, the tomatoes, prunes and herbs. Enjoy the aromatic steam produced as you add in the liquids. Keep stirring a few times then transfer to an oven-proof dish.

Cook in the oven for 3-4 hours, turn down the heat to 160 after the first hour. About half an hour before it's done, remove from the oven, lift out the beef with a large fork and break up or cut it roughly into chunks. at the sam time remove the string. Return the beef to the pot and the pot to the oven and cook for the last half hour. This gives you time to prepare side dishes like -

Cavalo Nero (or any other dark green cabbage), wilt in garlic butter for half a minute then add a splash of water to create steam, cover and cook for a few more minutes.

Mashed potato with herbs etc., unless you are on low-carb diet in which case the beef and cabbage make a great meal on their own.